6 Weird (Unusual) Ways to Use Coconut Oil for Weight Loss

by iGrapez | Blog

Everyone has heard of the health benefits of coconut oil but its weight loss benefits are often shrouded in mystery.

Well, it’s true!

Coconut oil can help you to lose weight.

Squeezed right out of the fleshy part of a coconut, it is versatile oil which smells great and is effective for weight loss.

It is a little difficult to understand how oil would help you to lose weight.

Interestingly, the weight loss capability of coconut oil is due to its biochemical structure.

Here’s how coconut oil helps you to lose weight

The fundamental structure of coconut oil makes it ideal for weight loss.

Majority of other types of food are normally made up of long chain fatty acids.

However, coconut oil is composed of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs).

They are normally metabolized in a different way from the others.

When coconut oil arrives in your stomach, it is sent directly to your liver.

At this point, it is transformed directly into energy.

It can also be stored in a form known as ketone bodies.

These bodies are compact forms of stored energy.

They do not resemble or occupy as much space in the body as stored fat.

Hence, ketone bodies contribute to weight loss due to their structure.

Further proving the uniqueness of coconut oil, the body is not capable of storing it as efficiently as other types of fats.

As a result, coconut oil cannot contribute to weight gain.

There are many other ways through which coconut oil prevents weight gain.

Here are some of the most unusual ones:

1. Add it to your morning coffee

Most of us require a good old cup of coffee to start off our day right.

Did you know that adding some coconut oil to your coffee can help you lose weight?

Firstly, oil in coffee is actually quite popular.

Many people normally consume their coffee with a good amount of creamer in it.

This adds fat into the beverage.

Therefore, the idea of coconut oil in your coffee is not so strange.

By adding it to your coffee, you can influence your body to burn more calories and fat throughout the day!

As such, blend some coconut oil into your morning coffee so as to drop the pounds.

2. A teaspoon or two will suppress your appetite

Everyone knows that if you want to lose weight, simply burn more calories than you consume.

You can also reduce the number of calories that you consume.

Both strategies work great.

You can boost the results by eating few calories and burning more.

Well, coconut oil can help you along by suppressing your appetite.

Coconut oil contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs).

These unique compounds increase your feeling of fullness.

As such, your calorie intake is automatically reduced.

Therefore, if you take a teaspoon or two of coconut oil in the morning, you will consume fewer calories throughout your day.

This will contribute positively to your weight loss objective.

3. Apply it on your skin and massage

This is an interesting way to lose weight using coconut oil.

You can use it to manage the appearance and concentration of cellulite.

This is the mass of fat under the skin that is usually brought about by dramatic weight gain.

Coconut oil is effective in eliminating cellulite.

Simply dry brush your skin with the coconut oil.

This is where you apply the coconut oil on the parts of your body which have cellulite.

After that, brush the skin with a vegetable-based brush while making the strokes towards your heart.

You can also make a coffee scrub out of the coconut oil.

This scrub can be made by mixing up a ¼ cup of coffee grounds, coconut oil, and sugar.

Mix them up evenly to make a scrub.

After that, massage it into your skin.

This will reduce the appearance of cellulite and even help to break down some of it.

This helps you to lose weight.

4. Consume it in your cakes

Yes, you read that right!

Put coconut oil in your pastries.

Did you know that a single tablespoon of coconut oil is just as effective in pastries as one egg?

Despite having 50 more calories than an egg, it has special Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs).

These ones can promote fat burning in your body leading to rapid weight loss.

5. Substitute other oils in your diet with coconut oil

If you want to lose weight rapidly and permanently, you can substitute the butter and vegetable oil in your diet with coconut oil.

The calories will be approximately the same.

However, coconut oil can help you to burn fat.

It also suppresses your appetite.

As a result, you will be able to lose weight quickly and keep it off in the long term.

It is also great for your health because many oils and fats which we take today are full of processed chemicals.

Using coconut oil can be a healthier, welcome change for your body.

As a matter of fact, vegetables such as kale taste excellent when they are sautéed in coconut oil.

6. Sip some coconut oil

It sounds gross but it actually isn’t.

Interestingly, coconut oil can give you a good dose of energy during your day.

Whenever you feel as though your energy levels are low, don’t grab the nearest bag of chips.

Instead, sip on a tablespoon of coconut oil.

It will give your body a much-needed energy boost while burning fat along the way!

Conclusion

For many of us, coconut oil has always been associated with culinary exploits.

We didn’t know that it could help with weight loss.

Although unusual, the strategies above can help you to lose weight using coconut oil.

They are all safe to try at home.

As a matter of fact, some of them may even be tasty.

Take advantage of the fat burning ability of coconut oil and use it to lose weight rapidly and dramatically!

10 TIPS TO HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT EXERCISING

by iGrapez | Blog

Diets can be too restricting and busy schedules may keep us from the gym.

Is there a way one can drop a few pounds without torturous diets of hours sweating away at a machine?

Are there ways to lose weight and actually keep it off?

Losing weight does not have to be hard.

It can be the result of little everyday things incorporated into your lifestyle that won’t leave you feeling deprived of the things you love.

Take a look at 10 tips to help you lose weight without exercising.

1. Learn how to cook.

When you understand how food is prepared, and you know the nutritious value of whatever you cook, you are more likely to make better, healthier choices.

Improving your cooking skills also equips you with knowledge on how to prepare meals with a variety of healthy ingredients and healthy food leads to weight loss.

If you do not feel confident about your skills, there are plenty of channels on YouTube that teaches you how to make healthier alternatives to your favorite junk food.

It also help you learn how to make quick healthy meals for you and your family.

Also, check out the food channels on your television.

2. Throw out sugary and carbonated drinks.

Sodas and everything with added sugar is a huge setback for anyone that is trying to lose weight.

On top of all the large number of calories they have, it does not make you full and you will have to eat more calories in order to stop feeling hungry.

Thus, making you consume more calories than the body needs.

Fruit juices have high sugar content too and are not any better.

So you might be wondering what to drink instead.

Water, tea, coffee are some of the other alternative beverages.

Some people may not really like water but there are plenty of ways to jazz it up and make it more palatable.

Add some fresh lime or ginger or mint.

Berries and lemons or cucumber are great options too and they contain very few calories.

3. Buy organic food.

A study has shown that the pesticides on plants are endocrine disruptors meaning that they get in the way of how the hormones in our bodies process food.

They can thus slow down one’s metabolism leading to weight gain.

4. Get enough sleep

People who do not get enough sleep mess up their hormones and it leads to weight gain.

Also, people who stay up longer tend to snack at night and that is when one’s body is less active.

The extra calories are not good for your waistline.

When we are asleep our bodies rejuvenate and heal and this process is vital for keeping our bodies healthy and aids in weight loss.

5. Snack on something healthy.

Snacking is not a bad idea if you keep it in moderation and healthy.

The mention of the word healthy might be a total put off but do not be quick to judge something you haven’t tried.

Switch up those cheese crackers for carrot sticks or almonds.

Try soy milk instead of full cream milk, indulge in a vegetable smoothie.

We all have weak spots, and there are different snacks that help curb different cravings.

Yes even for those with a sweet tooth.

There is always a healthier alternative to try.

It will all be worth it when you start to fit in those pants you last tried on 3 years ago.

6. Have an active lifestyle.

Is the gym not your idea of a good time, do all those skinny people laboring away at the treadmills only serve to irritate or discourage you rather than motivate or inspire you?

Then do not go there.

There are other alternatives to the gym that keep you healthy.

Walk your dog, take your kids to the park and throw around a Frisbee.

All these simple things increase blood flow around your body hence increasing your metabolism and helping you lose weight in the long run.

7. Don’t skimp out on protein.

Proteins are the building blocks of the body.

They also aid in ensuring that the enzymes responsible for your metabolism are working properly.

They also give you enough energy to be more active which aids in weight loss.

Foods rich in protein also help you feel full for a longer time and also help control cravings.

Studies in obesity show that people who had eggs for breakfast instead of whole grain meals had fewer calories for lunch and even dinner compared to their counterparts who opted for a breakfast rich in grain.

8. Drink water.

Taking water, especially before you eat makes you feel full faster and therefore helping you drop some pounds.

Water is also loaded with minerals that improve your overall health.

It aids in digestion so you will not feel as bloated and improves circulation which improves metabolic processes in our bodies.

Water really is life.

9. Reduce food portions.

Need help with this?

Just get a smaller plate.

Bigger plates fool us into thinking that the food we have served is little.

Therefore we end up eating more than is necessary.

Even better, you can get a portion control plate.

This is a plate that is marked to show you how much portions you should put for the different food groups.

If you have trouble controlling your portions, this would be the best option for you.

10. Eat light meals in the evenings.

At night, you are not going to use that much energy.

Eating a light meal or salad in the evening gives your body enough time to digest everything that you had during the day without the strain of processing new food.

You will sleep more peacefully and we have already discussed the benefits of a good rest.

Try this method and your body will thank you for it.

This list does not exhaustively mention all the ways you can lose weight without much exercise.

Everyone has a method that they find easier for them than another.

Do not be afraid to experiment until you find a system that best suits you.

8 Yoga Poses for Plus-Sized Women

by iGrapez | Blog

8 Yoga Poses for Plus-Sized Women

For most plus-sized women, doing yoga is certainly not a walk-in-the-park, as it demands lots of determination and hard work to achieve the desired results. Some yoga poses can prove to be an uphill task to carry out simply due to lack of flexibility, especially for beginners. To help you out, here are the best 8 yoga poses for plus-sized women you should try out. Read on!

1. Standing Forward Half Pose

Before carrying out any other yoga pose, this one should be your starting point. Apart from stretching out your hamstrings, this pose also effectively warms you up for any other exercise of the day. With that being said, start by standing on both your feet at hip-width before slowly bending forward from the hips (not the waist). Next, try to reach for the floor while keeping your back straight. However, simply use a yoga block if reaching the floor becomes difficult. With a bit of time and extra practice, you’ll find yourself to be a master of this pose. In fact, you won’t even need the yoga block anymore.

2. Mountain Pose

For any beginner who has balance worries, added support – probably from a wall, can always come in handy. In fact, mountain pose is popularly known among most yogis to be the best beginner wall position, and is also perfect for improving steadiness and aligning posture. 
Start by standing with both your back and buttocks touching the wall. Just in front of you, choose a single still point to focus on, and then gently ease your triceps and shoulders back against the wall. With your elbows bent (preferably 90 degrees) steadily lift your arms up and flat against the wall. Finally, try squeezing your yoga block between your legs.

3. Downward Dog

It’s impossible to talk of any yoga routine without mentioning downward dog. Apart from being pretty easy to be carried out by overweight beginners, this pose is also great for strengthening the arms, shoulder, and legs. In fact, you’ll feel the effects almost instantly.

Begin by folding yourself forward and placing both hands on the ground. After this, steadily jump your feet back while ensuring your hips are in the air. Doing this should immediately make an upside down V-shape. Proceed to try and shift most of the weight back into your heals in order to reduce any wrist discomfort. This will also straighten both your arms and legs, which is the total body stretch we are looking for. 

For additional hamstring and calve stretch, alternate lifting both heals off the ground. You can carry out this pose for at least a minute while focusing on your breathing.

4. Cobra Pose

This is simply one of the best exercises you can do to stretch your back and shoulders. To begin with, lie down flat facing the floor on your belly, with both your legs stretched out. Proceed to gently press up your upper back and shoulders using your hands to ensure that both your legs and hips remain on the ground. While breathing throughout, slowly go up and down. Keep in mind that you have to breathe inward while going up and outward while going down.

5. Tree Pose

For something more challenging and much harder, tree pose is definitely a great one. However, tree pose will immensely improve your overall body balance. Quickly moving forward, begin by putting your hands together (at your heart) and your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Although you can carry out this pose with your arms stretched out up in the air, keeping them at your heart will greatly help you maintain balance.

Bend one of your knees, and using your hand, prop up one of your foot on the other standing leg. Always lean against something stable until you can find your own balance. You can now proceed to lift your hands straight up to the sky for an extra challenge. For even more challenging balance, try closing your eyes. Always remember to tighten your core muscles and keep your back straight, as this will greatly help you maintain stability.

6. Cat/Cow Pose

Commonly paired together, this great combination effectively improves your spine’s flexibility, while at the same time properly stretching your torso. Begin by standing on both your hands and knees. Make sure your hands and wrists are directly under the shoulders, whereas the knees are directly under the hips. 

While inhaling drop your stomach downwards towards the mat, while slowly lifting both your neck and chin to ensure you’re gazing at the ceiling. Be careful however to avoid straining your neck. When exhaling, try pulling your belly button towards the spine, while at the same time rounding your back also to the ceiling direction. Also, look downward without bringing the chin to the chest.

7. Chair Neck Stretch

When it comes to stretching out both your back muscles and spine, as well as working out your shoulders and neck, nothing comes close to neck stretches. In fact, you can even do it while sitting on a hard-backed chair. 
That said, find a chair to sit on, and bend both your right ear and right shoulder towards each other. As you lean, proceed to stretch your right arm downwards to the ground, and hold it there for a few seconds. At a regular pace, try to breathe deeply and then repeat the same in the left side while moving your chin toward your chest.

8. Camel Pose

For stretching out both your back and chest as well as eliminating back pain, this pose is simply magical. Start on your knees, with both your legs hip-width apart. Proceed to bend backward slightly and using your right hand, grab your ankle. After this, comfortably arch your back because the more you do this, the more you stretch your chest. Hold this pose and take a few breaths before returning to your starting position. You can repeat this procedure for a few more times.

Final Word

You see! Yoga can be pretty simple and straightforward, isn’t it? Implementing these 8 plus-size poses in your daily/weekly yoga routine is not only simple, but will also greatly improve your physical strength, flexibility, sleep, as well as calm your inner thoughts. However, never try to force a position if you feel that something hurts. Instead, modify it and exercise a bit of patience. Also, it’s crucial to consult your doctor before enrolling any exercise routine.

10 Best and Worst Foods for Type II Diabetes

by iGrapez | Blog

10 Best and Worst Foods for Type II Diabetes

Diabetes can be an incredibly debilitating disease, but there are certain things that you can do to help control your diabetes (aside from insulin). One thing is to focus more on what you are putting in your mouth. 100 million people suffer from diabetes in the US alone, but there is still a huge lack of knowledge about the disease and what people can do to help themselves. This article aims to help educate you on the ten best and worst foods for type II diabetes.

1. Flax Seeds and French Fries

Flax seeds are one of the best foods to eat in order to control your diabetes. In fact, they are often called a diabetes super food. Simply consume one teaspoon a day and you will begin to notice a remarkable difference. They help to manage your blood sugar levels and keep blood glucose stable. This means that diabetics who regularly consume them will have less spikes throughout the day. Try adding them to your morning smoothie, or mixing them through a salad.

French fries, on the other hand, are definitely not a good idea for diabetics. Anything that’s super greasy or fried is not a great idea for someone who struggle with diabetes. These can cause rapid weight gain, which will then cause your blood sugar to be all over the place.

2. Cinnamon and Cereals

Cinnamon is another food that can work wonders for your health with just one teaspoon per day. It lowers serum glucose, and also helps to lower blood sugar after large meals. Try mixing it into your oatmeal, or stirring it through your coffee instead of sugar.

Many kinds of cereals contain a lot of added sugar. This, of course, will raise your blood sugar levels. It would definitely pay to start paying attention to the ingredients list on the back of your cereal box and choosing more natural options.

3. Tomatoes and Tea

Tomatoes are another food that have been dubbed a diabetes super food. They are high in vitamin C and vitamin A, are full of potassium, and contain powerful antioxidants. Throw a few of them on the tray with your roast chicken, or cook and blend them up into a tangy dressing for a salad.

Tea has many healing powers, but big brands can often trick us into consuming things that we don’t realize are mixed in. Regular tea bags that you boil at home are absolutely fine, but you do need to watch out for the bottled tea that you buy premade.

4. Yogurt and yogurt

Yoghurt can be a tricky food to navigate when you have diabetes. Plain, unsweetened Greek yoghurt can really help you to control your diabetes. It can slow and even prevent dangerous spikes in blood sugar. High calcium diets have even been found to reduce the risk of developing diabetes to begin with.

The tricky part comes in when you need to choose the right yogurt. Make sure that the yogurt you are buying says that it is plain and unsweetened. You can always add healthy flavoring at home, but buying flavored yoghurts can expose you to a lot more sugar than is healthy.

5. Beans and Biscuits

Beans are yet another diabetes superfood. It is suggested that you add beans to your meals a few times a week in order to reap the benefits. They contain a soluble fiber which improves gut health and helps to reduce insulin resistance. Try making a yummy bean burger, or add them to a curry.

Neither British nor American biscuits are good for your health. British biscuits, especially store-bought ones, are full of sugar. American biscuits are full of carbohydrates and fat, so it’s best to steer away from both kinds.

6. Spinach and Soda

As spinach is so rich in fiber, it is a really great food for diabetics to eat. The high fiber content means that it digests slower than other foods, which means that it doesn’t make your blood sugar go up as quickly. The soluble fiber also reduces the blood glucose levels and helps to control your diabetes. Try blending some frozen spinach into your smoothie bowls, or mixing it into a stew.

Soda is probably a fairly self-explanatory one. Most sodas contain more sugar than someone who doesn’t have diabetes should consume in a
day. Clearly this means that it is definitely not a good idea when you’re a diabetic.

7. Lentils and Lollypops

Just like spinach, lentils help to lower blood glucose with their soluble fiber. As well as this, they contain complex carbohydrates, which help to control your blood glucose, cholesterol levels, and appetite. Try making a yummy lentil pie or soup.

The issue with lollypops is, once again, quite obvious. Just like all other types of candy, they are far too high in sugar for diabetics. Try getting your sugar fix through small amounts of natural sugar in fruit.

8. Nuts and Noodles

Many nuts, especially walnuts and almonds, are great for diabetes. This is because they help to reduce high cholesterol. Nuts are great as every day snacks, and can also be sprinkled over a whole range of other foods.

Eating regular noodles is perfectly fine, but studies show that frequent consumption of instant noodles can lead to a higher risk of diabetes.

9. Grapefruit and Gluten Free Cake

Grapefruit helps to reduce blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity. Try regularly drinking grapefruit juice, or freezing them in slices for a nice, cold snack.

Gluten free treats are often far denser than your usual treats. This is because the gluten protein is not there to provide elasticity. This means that they have more carbohydrates and are therefore worse for your diabetes.

10. Wild Salmon and White Bread

Salmon, like many other fishes, is great for people with diabetes. It contains omega-3, which helps to lower blood fats. Fry some salmon up in a pan, or make it into some yummy fish cakes.

White breads contain refined, white flour. This doesn’t contain any fiber, which causes blood sugar to rise. Your best bet is to stick to brown breads.

This is just a short list of foods that can help and hinder your diabetic journey. With a quick google you can find many more and really start to improve your life by relieving many of your symptoms.

How to Use Whey Protein For Weight Loss

by iGrapez | Blog

How to Use Whey Protein For Weight Loss

Keeping a check on your weight is something that goes beyond the need to look good. Healthwise, it is an advisable thing to do. In the quest to lose weight, there are many products that one may come across to help in this journey. Although largely exercising is the main method that one can lose weight through, our day to day activities may not allow us much time to catch up with the gym. It is, therefore, necessary that we work on our diets to make the ultimate goal of weight loss come true. Whey protein can help with weight loss in the following ways.

1. It reduces your appetite

One of the most prominent reasons why whey protein is used by a lot of people looking to lose weight is because of its effect on one’s appetite. Once consumed either as a milkshake or in any other form that it may be available to you, this protein has the effect of making you cut down on your appetite bit by bit. 

Appetite is the number one reason for excessive weight gain in most people. Once the urge to eat comes, its only a few people that can compose themselves and be able to fight it. A change in appetite, however, is effective in helping someone lose weight. With reduced appetite, the intake of food reduces. The effect of this may not be felt immediately, but with time, the body adjusts to consuming less food and the weight loss journey kicks in full gear. 

An untamed appetite is born of cravings that we have most times. What the whey protein does is it helps you cut down on this craving. That mid-day snack that gets you running to the fridge at home or the vending machine at work. The whey protein has been proven through studies to help cut down cravings by at least 60% if taken regularly. This is a big win and a positive step forward for anyone looking for ways to lose weight. 

2. It Boosts Your Metabolism

One of the most effective ways of how to use whey protein for weight loss is taking it to boost your body’s rate of metabolism. Body metabolism is one of the most trusted processes that can help you lose weight. This is because, through body metabolism, the body gets to burn calories. This therefore means that an increased rate of metabolism will effectively help you burn more calories and lose weight faster in the long run.

A high protein diet also helps you to build up muscle. Muscles are very effective in boosting the body’s rate of metabolism, and that contributes positively to your weight loss efforts. Whey protein is known to be effective in helping one gain muscles without adding on a single pound to their weight. It is, therefore, a good alternative to going to the gym to lift weights to gain muscles. Additionally, the burning of calories that is induced by the intake of whey protein helps one to avoid other vigorous exercises such as running. 

3. It helps Prevent Weight Regain

The fear of most people when they embark on a weight loss program and they follow it through to the end is that they will regain the weight after some time. With regular intake of whey protein, however, this is not a worry that you are supposed to care about. The effect of whey protein on your appetite and the body rate of metabolism guards against any possible weight regain.

This helps to give you the peace of mind that you will not get back to having weight issues after you have worked so hard to lose it. Most people who lose weight regain the same after a while because of using ineffective products or through poor eating habits especially untamed appetite. With whey protein as part of your diet, however, you are guaranteed that you will not have incidences of such a fallback that will render all your efforts null. 

4. A Healthy Alternative to Supplements and Steroids

Like I had mentioned when we started, for most people, weight loss has everything to do with going to the gym and sweating. For such people, the use of steroids and supplements to help them in their muscle gain process and weight loss is always an open option. However, these products can have serious side effects if not taken under a doctor’s prescription.

These products also, being hormones, may tamper with a person’s health and immune system in the long run. As thus, it is important to avoid the use of such products or if possible, use them under clear guidance. This ensures that nothing goes wrong when they are consumed. 

A safe alternative to all this, however, is whey protein, which is a naturally occurring product. It is a by-product of cheese processing and therefore unless one has an allergy that does not allow him or her to take animal products, it is perfectly safe. Whey protein is also relatively cheaper compared to other weight loss products that may be used in the same category. 

5. It is Effective in Losing Belly Fat

Whey protein is very effective in helping you get rid of fat around your belly. Excess fats in the body and especially around the belly are the main cause of excess weight problems. Taking whey protein regularly, however, helps to get rid of this belly fat and eventually it also helps in weight loss. Aside from just the weight loss effect, losing belly fat helps you look great. The confidence boost can go a long way in helping you in your weight loss journey. 

Losing weight is easy through regular intake of nutritious food that is low on fats and carbons but has plenty of proteins. Whey protein is a great addition to any diet for someone that is looking to lose weight. This protein is recommended for its great nutritional value as well as zero side effects and the ability to prevent weight regain in the future.